Organizers: Charity art auction to be annual event

Nicole and Clayton Coates visited the Strokes of Hope Charity Art Auction Saturday afternoon at the Northwoods United Methodist Church. The art on display were to depict the artist's interpretation of what “hope” looks like. Nicole Coates donated two pieces of artwork to the auction.

Chuck Beckley/The Daily News

By MATTHEW ADKINS - Daily News Staff

Published: Saturday, March 2, 2013 at 05:54 PM.

A Saturday art auction that aimed to raise money to help homeless families in the area may become an annual event.

Strokes of Hope Charity Art Auction, an eight-hour event held at
Northwoods
United
Methodist
Church
and hosted by Community Advisory Network Developing Onslow, raised approximately $1,200 through sales and $300 in donations, organizers said.

“Everything has been great. We had a really big turnout at the beginning of the event and we’ve seen a lot of different people from the community come in and give donations, which is wonderful,” said Sarah McWhirter, CAN-DO Solutions for Stability coordinator. “All of the proceeds are going to benefit the Solutions for Stability program, which helps homeless families of the community.”

The event showcased art by local artists and children within the
Jacksonville
school system. The artwork depicts their interpretation of what “hope” looks like.

“We reached out to the Onslow Council for the Arts and gave them information about who was going to benefit and they donated some pieces, but a lot of it is word of mouth and personal connections,” said McWhirter. “Also, people from Elite Tattoo Gallery and Alien Art Tattoo Gallery said they were really interested in the cause and they wanted to donate, so we’ve had a very wide variety of people who’ve made something. Everything from Bernie Rosage Jr. to people who just do this as a hobby. Even our
United Way
president, Craig Wagner, painted something.”

Among those who donated artwork was Nicole Coates, a member of
United Way
who donated two pieces of artwork.

A Saturday art auction that aimed to raise money to help homeless families in the area may become an annual event.

Strokes of Hope Charity Art Auction, an eight-hour event held at NorthwoodsUnitedMethodistChurch and hosted by Community Advisory Network Developing Onslow, raised approximately $1,200 through sales and $300 in donations, organizers said.

“Everything has been great. We had a really big turnout at the beginning of the event and we’ve seen a lot of different people from the community come in and give donations, which is wonderful,” said Sarah McWhirter, CAN-DO Solutions for Stability coordinator. “All of the proceeds are going to benefit the Solutions for Stability program, which helps homeless families of the community.”

The event showcased art by local artists and children within the Jacksonville school system. The artwork depicts their interpretation of what “hope” looks like.

“We reached out to the Onslow Council for the Arts and gave them information about who was going to benefit and they donated some pieces, but a lot of it is word of mouth and personal connections,” said McWhirter. “Also, people from Elite Tattoo Gallery and Alien Art Tattoo Gallery said they were really interested in the cause and they wanted to donate, so we’ve had a very wide variety of people who’ve made something. Everything from Bernie Rosage Jr. to people who just do this as a hobby. Even our United Way president, Craig Wagner, painted something.”

Among those who donated artwork was Nicole Coates, a member of United Way who donated two pieces of artwork.

“OnslowCounty is doing a good job providing young people a way to get involved,” she said.

Inspired by Saturday’s success, CAN-DO intends to host the event at the beginning of every spring.

The Solutions for Stability Initiative is a program which works to rapidly rehouse homeless families with children and helps them build self-sufficiency by assisting with resources and services. For more information, email Sarah McWhirter at smcwhirter@uwonslow.org or call United Way of OnslowCounty at 910-347-2646.